Combined steering hitch and automatic brake



Jan. 10, 1933.

E. OVERMON CUMBINED STEERING HITCH AND AUTOMATIC BRAKE Filed Jan. 18,.1952 J7 6 J9 l 21? J3- g T INVENTOR ATTOR N EY Patented Jan. 10, 1933LSMJM PATENT EIMEBOVEIRMON, OF SPERRY, GKLAHOMA COMBINED STEERING HITCHAND AUTOMAEIC BRAKE Application filed January 18, 1932. Serial No.537,384.

This invention relates to a combined hitch and automatic brake for atrailer and has for the primary object, the provision of a device of theabove stated character which will provide an etlicient hitch between a.trailer and the towing vehicle and which will steer the trailercompelling the latter to follow in the path of the towing vehicle andalso will automatically apply the brakes of the trailer when the latterunder its momentum begins to travel faster than the towing vehicle orwhen the towing vehicle is retarded or brought to a stop.

lVith this and other objects in view, this invention consists in certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had tothe following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 isa sectional view illustrating a trailer with a combined hitch andautomatic brake applied thereto and constructed in accordance with myinvention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view illustrating the same.

Figure 3 is a side elevation illustrating a portion of the hitch.

Figure 4 is a plan view illustrating a coupling between. the drafttongue of the trailer and the towing vehicle.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure Figure 7 is afragmentary enlarged sectional view between a, brake applying lever andthe brake rigging or operating rod thereof.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral l indicates a trailer ofthe four wheel type consisting; of a chassis 2 mounted on front and rearaxles 8 and -l. The front axle 3 is provided with the usual stub axles 5and on which the front wheels 6 are 1ournalled and steered hr. The stubaxles belnq coni F nected by the usual link or cross arm 4. The rearaxle i has ournallcd thereon rear wheels 8 having associated therewithbrakes S of any convcntional type operated by shatts 1O 'oro-- videdwith arms ll pivoted to an equal inn bar 12. The foregoing descriptionrelates to a well known type of trailer to wh' :h 111v invention isapplied. i

A bar 13 extends parallel with and is do tachably and adjustahly securedto the frontaxle S and apertured to receive a king bolt l extendingthrough spaced arms 15 and 16 which have their forward ends formedintegrally wit u a bracket 17. The arm 15 is of a greater length thanthe arm 1G and is pivotally connected to the link 7 of the steeringmechanism of the front wheels. The bracket 17 is in the form of a pairof relatively spaced SQDIhClI'CllliU shaped plates 18 and has pesitionedtl'ierchetween the rear end oi the draft tongue 19, the forward end ofwhich is provided with a coupling 20 for attaching the tongue to atowing vehicle. or draft source 21. Al lever is pivoted to the plates 18as shown at 23 and its lower end operates bctvwen stops 2i and carriedby'thc plates. The rear end of the tongue 19 is pivoted to the lever 22adjacent the latters lower end while the upper end of the-lever isprovided with an opening; to slidahly receive a brake rod The rear endof the brake rod is pivoted to the equalizing bar 12 of the brakeriggingwhile the for aid end has threaded thereto a fastener .27 to which acable or similar flexible element 28 is secured. The cable or flexiblcclement extends forwardl and is suitably connected to the brakemechanism. of the towing vehicle so that when the brake mechanism ofsaid vehicle is applied, a pull will be exerted on the rod 26 and applythe brakes 9 to the rear wheels of the trailer.

A nut is adjustablv secured to the rod 26 for engagement with the leverWhen a pull is made upon the tongue 19 by the towing vehicle. the, lowerend oi the lever 22 moves in engagement with the stop 24 and cooperateswith the pivot in trainuiitting the pull to the trailer and owing to thearm 15 being connected to the steering mechauinn ot' the trailer. thelatter ill be caused "to follow in tln path oi the towing vehicle ll'hentlutrailer has a tcmlency to travel faster than the towing vehicle, thelower end of the lever 22 moves rearwardiy causing a forward motion tothe upper end of the l ever which imparts a pull on the brake rod 26 andapplies the brakes 9-to the rear wheels of the trailer retarding thelatter.

The plates 18 are provided with aligned openings 30 to receive a pin forthe purpose of preventing pivotal movement of the lever 22 which isdesirable when backing the trailer by the power source or the tongue 19.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment ofmy'invention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction,combination and arrangement of parts may be made without'departing fromthe spirit and scope of my invention, as

claimed. ,7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: 7

1. A combine'd steering hitch and automatic brake comprising a bracketpivoted to the front axle of a trailer, an armcarried by said bracketand pivoted to the steering mechanism ofj the trailer, spaced platescarried by said bracket, a draft tongue received be tween said platesand connected to a towing vehicle, a lever pivoted between said platesand pivoted to the tongue in a plane below the pivot between the platesand the lever, spaced stops carried by the plates to limit the pivotalmovement of the lever, a brake mechanism of the trailer slidablyconnected to the upper end of the lever, and an element adjustable onthe brake mechanism to engage thelever for causing operation of thebrake melfanism during the pivotal movement of the lever inonedirection.

2 A combined steering hitch and automatic brake comprising a bracketpivoted to the front axle ofa trailer, an arm carried by said bracketand pivoted to the steering mecha nism of the trailer, spaced platescarried by said bracketg'a draft tongue received between said plates andconnected to a towing vehi- V cle, a lever pivoted between said platesand pivoted to the tongue in a plane below the pivot between the platesand the lever, spaced stops carried by the plates to limit the pivotalmovement of the lever, 21 brake 'mechanism of the trailer slidablyconnected to the upper end of the lever, an element adjustable on thebrake mechanism to engage the lever 'for causing operation of the brakemechanism during the pivotal movement of the lever in one direction, anda flexible element connected to thebrake mechanism and to the brakeoperating means of the towing vehicle.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ELMER OYERMON.

